|
|
| Carlos Zambrano issued three earned runs on six hits over 6.1 innings in Thursday's disheartening 10-3 loss to the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS at Wrigley Field, with two walks and seven strikeouts. The Cubs now trail 2-0 in the best-of-five series. |
Our View: The Cubs' ace pitcher has likely pitched his last game of the season with the club on the verge of elimination and playing the next two contests at Dodger Stadium.
|
|
|
|
| Pat Burrell stated that his previously ailing back is fine, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Burrell said, "With all the treatment and stuff and all the excitement of what we're doing, I don't think it will be a problem. The truth is I wouldn't have taken the field if I thought in any way I would jeopardize the team and the position we're in, because ultimately that's the most important thing. Do I want to play? Of course, but the most important thing is the team."
|
Our View: Burrell went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in tonight's win over Milwaukee.
|
|
|
|
| Team GM Ed Wade indicated that there is a chance Kazuo Matsui could have surgery in the off-season to repair a disc in his lower back, according to the Houston Chronicle.
|
Our View: Matsui was limited to only 96 games in 2008 due to injuries. He has never played more than 114 games in a season and will turn 33 on October 23.
|
|
|
|
| Ryan Braun went 2-for-4 in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 2 of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park. Both of his hits were doubles. The Brewers only mustered three total hits in the game. |
Our View: The Brewers snuck into the playoffs as the NL wildcard, but look to be headed for a quick exit as they trail 2-0 in the best-of-five series.
|
|
|
|
| CC Sabathia was rocked for five earned runs on six hits over 3.2 innings in Thursday's 5-2 loss in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Phillies, with four walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Sabathia was dominant in the regular season with Milwaukee, but failed to come through tonight, and the club is now one loss away from elimination.
|
|
|
|
| Shane Victorino went 3-for-4 with four RBI in Thursday's 5-2 win in Game 2 of the NLDS against Milwaukee at Citizens Bank Park. He hit two doubles and a grand slam. The Phillies now hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. |
Our View: Victorino is an early top candidate for postseason MVP, with five RBI over the Phillies' two wins.
|
|
|
|
| Brett Myers took care of business in Game 2 of the NLDS as he only allowed two earned runs on two hits over seven innings in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Brewers at Citizens Bank Park, with three walks and four strikeouts. The Phillies now hold a 2-0 lead in the series. |
Our View: Myers only went 10-13 in the regular season with a 4.55 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, but is off to a strong start in the playoffs.
|
|
|
|
| Javier Vazquez was rocked for six earned runs on eight hits over a mere 4.1 innings in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field, with one walk and six strikeouts. |
Our View: Vazquez was unstable in the regular season with a 12-16 record and 4.67 ERA, and is off to a poor start in the playoffs. The White Sox won the World Series in 2005 with dominant pitching, but Vazquez did not join the team until 2006.
|
|
|
|
| Chris Sampson underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a lateral extensor tendon in his throwing elbow, according to the AP. |
Our View: The 30-year-old righty is expected to be sidelined 4-6 months. He ended the 2008 season with a 4.22 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.
|
|
|
|
| Geoff Geary underwent surgery Wednesday for repairs to a right hip adductor injury and a torn abdominal muscle, according to the AP. |
Our View: He is expected to recover in 4-6 weeks and be ready for spring training. He ended the 2008 season with a solid 2.53 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 64 innings of relief.
|
|
|
|
| Marlins catcher had three muscle tears in his left hip, and underwent surgery to correct the problem, according to FloridaMarlins.com. |
Our View: The injury was similar to a sports hernia, and Treanor will be ready to go for spring training. Fantasy owners need not worry about it, however, as his value is non-existent.
|
|
|
|
| The Milwaukee Brewers will go with Ray Durham at second base in their game with the Phillies today instead of Rickie Weeks, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. |
Our View: The lineup has more to do with the fact that the Brewers are going with right-hander Brett Myers on the mound, but Weeks' error and two strikeouts probably made the decision pretty easy.
|
|
|
|
| The Milwaukee Brewers will send Dave Bush to the mound against Philadelphia for Game 3 of the NLDS, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The other choice was Jeff Suppan (who they paid $10 million per year in part to pitch in these type of games), but he had an ERA of 8.44 in September. Suppan would probably be the choice in Game 4 if the series makes it that far. |
Our View: Bush hasn't been quite as poor as his 9-10 record would indicate. He has an ERA of 4.18, and a solid 1.14 WHIP, but did allow 29 home runs and isn't someone who can get a big strikeout when needed. His K/9 rate was 5.30 this year.
|
|
|
|
| The Arizona Diamondbacks have ace Brandon Webb under their control for two more seasons, but are already talking contract extension with him, according to the Arizona Republic. |
Our View: Webb picked up 22 victories and posted an ERA of 3.30 with a WHIP of 1.20 while striking out 183 hitters in 226.2 innings. With the starting pitching market still sparse, and high-dollar contracts going out to average hurlers, Arizona clearly wants to be ahead of the pack in retaining Webb at today's prices.
|
|
|
|
| The Florida Marlins have named hurler Ryan Tucker their minor league pitcher of the year after the righty sported an ERA of 1.58 in more than 90 innings in Double-A, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. |
Our View: Tucker also worked in the big leagues, where he had decidedly less success. In 37 innings over 13 games, he had an ERA of 6.81 while walking 5.59 batters per nine innings.
|
|
|
|
| Marlins reliever Doug Waechter was taken off the team's 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. |
Our View: Waechter was not bad this year for Florida, throwing 63.1 innings with an ERA of 3.69 and WHIP of 1.33. He can elect to become a free agent instead of report to the minors, and the guess here is that is exactly what will happen.
|
|
|
|
| The New York Mets are likely going to pick up the $12 million option on first baseman Carlos Delgado's contract, according to the New York Daily News. |
Our View: Delgado got off to a horrid start before rebounding to hit .271 with 38 home runs and 115 RBI. He will turn 37 next season, and the likelihood that he continues to put up the same type of power numbers is not very high.
|
|
|
|
| Mets manager Jerry Manuel has been offered a two-year contract to return to the team, but negotiations are still ongoing, according to New York Newsday. |
Our View: Manuel led the team out of the Willie Randolph ear smoothly, but he still failed to lead the team to the playoffs, losing on the final day of the season, which let Milwaukee claim the final playoff spot.
|
|
|
|
| Diamondbacks second baseman Orlando Hudson will get the pins out that were stabilizing his broken wrist in a week, and will begin his rehab a day later, according to the Arizona Republic. |
Our View: Hudson was having a fine season, hitting .305 with eight home runs and 41 RBI before breaking his wrist. He should be fine once spring training rolls around.
|
|
|
|
| Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes has a no-trade clause in his contract, but he would think about waiving it if the team wants to move him, according to the Arizona Republic. “No one wants to be somewhere that they’re not wanted, so if it came down to that, sure,” he said. |
Our View: Byrnes still has $22 million coming to him, and is coming off an injury-plagued season where he hit .209, so it will be difficult to move him in the first place. The fact that they signed him and moved Carlos Quentin will certainly sting Diamondbacks fans even more if Byrnes is moved.
|
|
|
|
| Greg Maddux came out of the bullpen and threw a scoreless inning for the Dodgers in their playoff victory over the Cubs, according to the L.A. Times. He says he would not be averse to being used two days in a row. |
Our View: Maddux had a decent year, with a 4.22 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, but accumulated just eight victories. It was just the third time in two decades the future Hall of Fame hurler had been used in the role.
|
|
|
|
| Pat Burrell was in the lineup a day after he left a workout with back discomfort. He went 0-for-2 with a walk and exited the game in the seventh inning. |
Our View: Burrell will continue to start but will likely be a popular injury replacement in the late innings of the NLDS.
|
|
|
|
| Alfonso Soriano was one of several Cubs who struggled against some excellent Phillies pitching on Wednesday. He was 0-for-5 for the day. |
Our View: Soriano might be feeling the pressure of playing on a Cubs team that is expected to win. He is a streaky hitter and the Cubs' faithful are likely praying he can turn it on starting in Game 2.
|
|
